Beacon
by absolutelynoapologies
Summary: What could be their beacon of hope will be the very thing, the very person, that destroys them. But not yet. / AU / Hinted YumixUlrich


_A/N: Eventually, I'd like to write a full story around this little piece, but I don't have the time, and I have many fics that I still need to write before it._

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Silence.

The only sign that told him he was still alive was the smell of smoke, the smell of burning all around him. He could feel nothing. Not the dirt beneath him, muddied with blood. Not the soft wind blowing in the aftermath. Not the hand tugging on his arm with desperation.

On shaky arms, he lifted himself up into a sitting position. Beside him, his friend sighed in relief, throwing an arm around his neck in an odd hug.

He nodded to his friend, raising his head, scanning the desolation for a familiar face.

His friend rolled his eyes, his mouth moving but he couldn't hear it. He simply stared at his friend blankly.

His friend shook his head before standing, putting out his hand for him to grab.

He slapped the hand away, determined to find out what he needed. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

His friend laughed, pointing at him, his mouth moving again as he looked to the side, seemingly talking to someone.

Another figure came into his vision, cropped pink hair matted to her face with blood, cuts littering her body. Despite this, she moved fluidly, as if she felt no pain.

While he was glad she was okay, he whipped his head in every direction, still searching.

The girl sighed, looking at their friend, seemingly asking him something, to which he shrugged and answered.

He didn't notice both of them stand aside, smirks on their faces.

He didn't notice the body decked out in head-to-toe ripped black rush over to him, skidding to her knees and enveloping him in a tight embrace, which he returned.

"Ulrich! You scared me to _death_," She muttered against his temple. He couldn't help but laugh.

After all, was it really surprising that her voice would be the one that he would hear first, the one that would snap his mind out of its stupor?

The last of their rag-tag group stumbled towards them, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, breathing heavily.

"I don't know how you guys handled this before," He sat on the ground, staring up at the sky as his friends laughed at the intelligence agent-turned-warrior.

"Don't worry Jeremie," Aelita laughed, placing her hand on his shoulder. He turned his gaze to her, a soft smile on his face, "I'll protect you," He flushed, looking away while the rest of them laughed, Odd going as far as ruffling his hair.

Miles and miles away, a figure clenched his fist. With his eyes closed, he could see the four warriors and princess of Lyoko rise from the ashes of the rubble from the mark one of his mutations drew in the dirt with blood.

He could see one of them, Odd, notice the mark even from a distance and scramble over to it, scuffing it out with the heel of his boot.

He opened his eyes, scowl set on his mouth. He let out a growl, letting his fist connect with the wall in anger.

He needed to get his hands on them, on their precious _princess_ Aelita in order to find out where her cowardly father is hiding.

He knew the King of Lyoko was somewhere, building up an army to combat his own creation that developed a superior mind and broke free of his hold…

Project X.A.N.A. now sought to take the world for his own. If it weren't for the five nuisances…

But no matter. His new plan was a sure-fire win.

While he felt immeasurable pleasure by burning that village down, he knew this plan would be his best – and favorite – yet.

He made his way to the mirror that hung on the window, smirking at his reflection.

Shaggy black hair, dark eyes, and the face of a presumably pronounced dead warrior of Lyoko…William, if he recalled.

Yes, this new body would do nicely. He had no amount of doubt in his newest plan would succeed.

What could be their beacon of hope will be the very thing, the very person, that destroys them.

He grabbed William's sword and heaved it to his shoulder. One last time, his eyes flashed his signature symbol before he blinked it away with a wicked smirk.


End file.
